Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even constructing supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removing of valuable agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one that even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the tools was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it is valued at almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN will not be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the main points of the case for their very own security.
The contact said the method began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, everything else was eliminated: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a navy truck.
The contact said there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the evening.
Among the machinery was taken to a nearby village, however some of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey might be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- will also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact said.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact said that "plainly the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare components, they'll earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Other sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian navy units has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole bunch of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One source told CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But the farmers trying to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. Not one of the ports are working. You will not take this grain from the occupied territory wherever. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the supply said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor informed CNN.